Healthy Eating withVegetables and Fruit

Lesson Plan

A discussion on vegetables and fruit, the health benefits and examples of Food Guide Servings will help
participants get the most from this mini-lesson and the learning activities.

To help you lead this discussion, use the Healthy Eating with Vegetables and Fruit PowerPoint presentation
and speaker notes. You may need to present this information in a format suitable for the group situation.
You might copy the key information onto flip chart paper or make overhead projector transparencies. You
might also choose to distribute handouts of the presentation slides.

Begin this lesson by reviewing Canada’s Food Guide. Distribute a copy of the Food Guide to each person.
Highlight the Vegetables and Fruit food group. Point out the recommended number of Food Guide Servings
and review examples of serving sizes.

Review the key messages within this food group:

Eat at least one dark green and one orange vegetable each day.

Choose vegetables and fruit prepared with little or no added fat, sugar or salt.

Have vegetables and fruit more often than juice.

To begin the discussion, ask the group about their experiences with vegetables and fruit:

Do you like most vegetables and fruit? What are your favourite vegetables and fruit?

Do you include vegetables and fruit at most meals? What types of vegetables and fruit do you
choose for snacks?

What makes it difficult for you to eat vegetables and fruit?

Tip: Be sensitive to the cultural origins of your audience. Find out what vegetables and fruit are popularamong your audience and use these vegetables and fruit as examples in discussions.

Vegetable and Fruit Proportions Activity

Ask participants to work in pairs or small groups. Distribute 1 (one) Vegetable and Fruit Proportions
worksheet to each pair or small group. Ask groups to follow the directions on the worksheet.

The aim of this activity is to modify the meal so that the new meal includes at least half a plate
of vegetables and fruit. Allow about 5 to 10 minutes for groups to work on this activity.

Starting with Worksheet #1, have each group report to the whole group by reading out the
original meal and then sharing their newly proportioned meal.

Ask participants to estimate the number of Food Guide Servings of vegetables and fruit that
their meal contains.

Point out dark green and orange vegetables when they are mentioned.

Search for the Stars! (Optional Activity)

This optional activity may be completed during the session as time allows or provided
as a take-home activity.

Distribute the worksheet: Search for the Stars! This is a word search activity that will allow participants
to discover just how valuable vegetables and fruit are to good health.

Ask participants to complete the word search using the Search Clues provided. For lower literacy
groups you may wish to read out each Search Clue, and ask the group to name the vegetable or fruit
to be searched.

Use the information from the sheet: Search for the Stars! Discussion Points for Leaders to expand on
the information provided in the Search Clues. If you give this activity to participants to take home, you
may wish to provide them with a copy of this information sheet.

Wrap-Up

Encourage participants to fill up at least half their plate with vegetables and fruit at their next meal.

Suggest additional resources related to this session.

Distribute an evaluation for each person to complete. The feedback you get will be useful in planning
future sessions.